Su Dongpo: Came Again to Chao Ran Tower, Send As a Gift to Mayor Huo Xiang

Came Again to Chao Ran Tower, Send As a Gift to Mayor Huo Xiang

再 过 超 然 台 赠 太 守 霍 翔

昔 饮 雩 泉 别 常 山
天 寒 岁 在 龙 蛇 间。
山 中 儿 童 拍 手 笑
问 我 西 去 何 当 还。

十 年 不 赴 竹 马 约
扁 舟 独 与 渔 蓑 闲。
重 来 父 老 喜 我 在
扶 挈 老 幼 相 遮 攀。

当 时 襁 褓 皆 七 尺、
而 我 安 得 留 朱 颜。
问 今 太 守 为 谁 欤
护 羌 充 国 鬓 未 斑。

躬 持 牛 酒 劳 行 役
无 复 杞 菊 嘲 寒 悭。
超 然 置 酒 寻 旧 迹
尚 有 诗 赋 镵 坚 顽。

孤 云 落 日 在 马 耳
照 耀 金 碧 开 烟 鬟。
邞 淇 自 古 北 流 水
跳 波 下 濑 鸣 玦 环。
愿 公 谈 笑 作 石 埭
坐 使 城 郭 生 溪 湾。

Zai Guo Chao Ran Tai Zeng Tai Shou Huo Xiang

Xi yin yu quan bie chang shan
Tian han sui zai long she jian.
Shan zhong er tong pai shou xiao
Wen wo xi qu he dang huan.

Shi nian bu fu zhu ma yue
Pian zhou du yu yu suo xian.
Chong lai fu lao xi wo zai
Fu qie lao you xiang zhe pan.

Dang shi qiang bao jie qi chi
Er wo an de liu zhu yan.
Wen jin tai shou wei shei yu
Hu qiang chong guo bin wei ban.

Gong chi niu jiu lao xing yi
Wu fu qi ju chao han qian
Chao ran zhi jiu xun jiu ji
Shang you shi fu chan jian wan.

Gu yun luo ri zai ma er
Zhao yao jin bi kai yan huan.
Fu qi zi gu bei liu shui
Tiao bo xia lai ming jue huan.
Yuan gong tan xiao zuo shi dai
Zuo shi cheng guo sheng xi wan.

Came Again to Chao Ran Tower, Send As a Gift to Mayor Huo Xiang

Drank from a Chang Mountain springhead before we departed
Sky cold in the season between the years of Snake and Dragon.
Amid the mountains, children sent me off with applause and laughter
Asked me when I would return to the west.

But for ten years I did not come back to those riding their bamboo horses
Spent the time like an idle fisherman wearing his poncho in a small boat.
Now that I have arrived, the elders are very happy to have me
Old carrying the young, the young helping the old wanting to touch me.

A child I held in swaddling clothes is now several feet tall
How can I keep on my young skin?
I ask now about the new mayor’s background
In his youth he fought and protected the empire from the Qiang.

He personally gave wine and meat to all of my retinue
Unlike me, when I left my last position, could only gather wild chrysanthemums for my send-off party.
Chao Ran bought wine and found old landmarks for my pleasure
Still have my poems written and carved into big boulders.

Solitary sunset cloud over Ma’er Mountain.
Illumination radiates gold and green jade outward through the mists like ringlets of hair.
Fu Qi River always has flowed to the north
Noisy waves over rapids, special sounds moving in circles.
Hope to build a dam to force the river to bend and circle around the city
To save topsoil, slow down the currents, encourage all forms of life.

Notes:
Mt. Chang: Major mountain range in northeast Asia between China and North Korea. Also known as Changbai.

Snake and Dragon years: Two years next to each other on the Chinese Zodiac.

Qiang people:  In ancient days, any of a number of small Non-Han ethic groups in China. In modern times, a group of people living between in the provinces of Xizhang and Qinghai.

Mt. Ma’er: Also known as Mt. Emei, one of the Four Sacred Mountains of China.

Fu Qi River: Tributary to the Changjiang.